• 식품과학과 산업
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• 제53권4호
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• pp.390-396
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• 2020

In vitro 및 동물시험 결과를 통해, 국내 천연 해양자원인 우뭇가사리 추출물의 체지방 감소 기능에 대해 살펴본 결과, 우뭇가사리 추출물이 고지방 식이 동물시험에서 체중 및 체지방 증가 억제 기능이 있음을 확인하였다. 우뭇가사리 추출물은 C/EBPα, β, SREPB-1, PPARγ 등 지방세포 분화 촉진 인자들의 발현을 억제하였고, 지방세포 분화 억제 조절 인자로 알려진 CHOP10의 발현은 촉진시켰다. 또한, 우뭇가사리 추출물은 AGTL의 발현을 촉진함으로써 지방분해 촉진 효과를 나타내었고, 중성지방의 합성 과정에 관여하는 LPAATθ, Lipin1, DGAT1 및 FAS의 발현을 억제하였으며, 지방 및 에너지 대사의 주요 조절 인자인 AMPK phosphorylation, PRDM16 및 UCP-1의 발현을 촉진하였다. 따라서 우뭇가사리 추출물은 체내 지방 대사에 있어서, 지방 합성 및 지방세포 분화를 억제하고, 지방분해 및 에너지 대사를 촉진하는 작용기전으로 체지방 감소 기능을 갖는 것으로 사료된다. 이러한 결과로 볼 때, 국내 천연 해양 자원인 우뭇가사리 추출물은 체내 지방 대사에 있어서 다양한 작용기전을 통해 우수한 체지방 감소 기능을 나타내고 있어 체지방 감소 건강기능식품 분야에서 유용한 신소재로 이용될 수 있을 것으로 생각된다. 나아가 본 연구진은 동물 시험에서 우뭇가사리 추출물의 혈당 조절 및 인슐린 저항성 개선 효과도 확인한 바 있어 대사증후군의 근본 원인인 복부 지방 및 인슐린 저항성 개선 효과를 모두 기대할 수 있는 소재로서의 가능성이 확인되었다. 추후 지질 및 당 대사에 관련된 작용기전 및 생체 지표의 상호 연관성, 인체에서의 혈당 개선 및 대사증후군 개선 효과 확인 등 추가 연구가 필요할 것으로 사료된다. 이를 통해 체지방 감소는 물론, 대사증후군 감소를 위한 건강기능식품 및 당뇨병 환자식 등의 분야에서 유용하게 이용될 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권20호
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• pp.8975-8979
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• 2014

Objective: To explore the possible significance of aromatase P450 in endometrial hyperplasia with a background of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Methods: Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the expression of aromatase P450 in endometrium of PCOS patients. Semiquantitative analysis of aromatase P450 expression of mRNA and protein level wasalso carried out by real-time quantitative RT-PCR method. After endometrial cells were stimulated by testosterone and letrozole in vitro, the estradiol ($E_2$) level was determined, and the expression of cell aromatase P450 mRNA was assessed. Results: The aromatase P450 mRNA level was increased in endometria of PCOS patients. When endometrial cells were cultured with $10^{-6}M$ testosterone, the $E_2$ level in the culture medium increased. An inhibitory effect on $E_2$ generation and expression of aromatase P450 mRNA was observed when the endometrial cells were treated with $10^{-5}M$ letrozole. Conclusions: There is an increased expression of aromatase P450 in PCOS patient endometrium. Androgen stimulation could enhance the synthesis of aromatase P450 mRNA and the production of $E_2$ in endometrial cells in vitro while letrozole could do the reverse.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.305-310
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• 2009

플라스미드 pGKV21에는 229-nt single-strand DNA initiation (ssi) signal이 존재한다. Asymmetric PCR 기법으로 합성된 229-nt ssDNA 단편을 이용하여 실제로 RNA polymerase에 의한 priming ability와 protein interaction을 확인하였다. in vitro primer RNA 합성 실험 결과, 229-nt ssDNA 단편은 filamentous M13 phage의 주형 DNA에서와 비슷한 효율로 시발체 RNA를 합성하였으며, 이 반응은 strand-specific하게 이루어졌다. DNase I footprinting과 gel retardation 실험 결과, RNA polymerase와 SSB 단백질은 229-nt ssDNA 단편에 stable interaction을 하며, 시발체 RNA를 합성하였다. 또한, in vivo 조건 하에서 RNA polymerase의 저해제인 rifampicin을 처리하여 세포내에 ssDNA 중간체가 집적되는 정도를 비교하여 본 결과, 플라스미드 pGKV21은 rifampicin-sensitive RNA polymerase가 상보가닥 합성에 관여 함을 보여 주었다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.337-346
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• 2016

Three combinations of molecular chaperones from Escherichia coli (i.e., DnaK-DnaJ-GrpE-GroEL-GroES, GroEL-GroES, and DnaK-DnaJ-GrpE) were overproduced in E. coli BL21, and their in vitro stabilizing effects on a nitrile hydratase (NHase) were assessed. The optimal gene combination, E. coli groEL-groES (ecgroEL-ES), was introduced into Rhodococcus ruber TH3. A novel engineered strain, R. ruber TH3G was constructed with the native NHase gene on its chromosome and the heterologous ecgroEL-ES genes in a shuttle plasmid. In R. ruber TH3G, NHase activity was enhanced 37.3% compared with the control, TH3. The in vivo stabilizing effect of ecGroEL-ES on the NHase was assessed using both acrylamide immersion and heat shock experiments. The inactivation behavior of the in vivo NHase after immersion in a solution of dynamically increased concentrations of acrylamide was particularly evident. When the acrylamide concentration was increased to 500 g/l (50%), the remaining NHase activity in TH3G was 38%, but in TH3, activity was reduced to 10%. Reactivation of the in vivo NHases after varying degrees of inactivation was further assessed. The activity of the reactivated NHase was more than 2-fold greater in TH3G than in TH3. The hydration synthesis of acrylamide catalyzed by the in vivo NHase was performed with continuous acrylonitrile feeding. The final concentration of acrylamide was 640 g/l when catalyzed by TH3G, compared with 490 g/l acrylamide by TH3. This study is the first to show that the chaperones ecGroEL-ES work well in Rhodococcus and simultaneously possess protein-folding assistance functions and the ability to stabilize and reactivate the native NHases.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제34권1호
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• pp.19-26
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• 2021

Background: Prolotherapy is a proliferation therapy as an alternative medicine. A combination of dextrose solution and lidocaine is usually used in prolotherapy. The concentrations of dextrose and lidocaine used in the clinical field are very high (dextrose 10%-25%, lidocaine 0.075%-1%). Several studies show about 1% dextrose and more than 0.2% lidocaine induced cell death in various cell types. We investigated the effects of low concentrations of dextrose and lidocaine in fibroblasts and suggest the optimal range of concentrations of dextrose and lidocaine in prolotherapy. Methods: Various concentrations of dextrose and lidocaine were treated in NIH-3T3. Viability was examined with trypan blue exclusion assay and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Migration assay was performed for measuring the motile activity. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) activation and protein expression of collagen I and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were determined with western blot analysis. Results: The cell viability was decreased in concentrations of more than 5% dextrose and 0.1% lidocaine. However, in the concentrations 1% dextrose (D1) and 0.01% lidocaine (L0.01), fibroblasts proliferated mildly. The ability of migration in fibroblast was increased in the D1, L0.01, and D1 + L0.01 groups sequentially. D1 and L0.01 increased Erk activation and the expression of collagen I and α-SMA and D1 + L0.01 further increased. The inhibition of Erk activation suppressed fibroblast proliferation and the synthesis of collagen I. Conclusions: D1, L0.01, and the combination of D1 and L0.01 induced fibroblast proliferation and increased collagen I synthesis via Erk activation.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.610-617
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• 2016

Candidiasis has posed a serious health risk to immunocompromised patients owing to the increase in resistant yeasts, and Candida albicans is the prominent pathogen of fungal infections. Therefore, there is a critical need for the discovery and characterization of novel antifungals to treat infections caused by C. albicans. In the present study, we report on the antifungal activity of the ethanol extract from Salvia miltiorrhiza against C. albicans and the possible mode of action against C. albicans. The increase in the membrane permeability was evidenced by changes in diphenylhexatriene binding and release of both 260-nm-absorbing intracellular materials and protein. In addition, inhibition of cell wall synthesis was demonstrated by the enhanced minimal inhibitory concentration in the presence of sorbitol and reduced (1,3)-β-D-glucan synthase activity. The above evidence supports the notion that S. miltiorrhiza has antifungal activity against C. albicans by the synergistic activity of targeting the cell membrane and cell wall. These findings indicate that S. miltiorrhiza displays effective activity against C. albicans in vitro and merits further investigation to treat C. albicans-associated infections.

• 대한한의학회지
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.37-44
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• 2001

Objectives : Cellular death by apoptosis is an active process, depending on gene transcription and protein synthesis. It was reported that nitric oxide can induce apoptosis in several cancer cell-lines. We have previously observed that proliferation of Ll210 cells was inhibited by the administration of Gleditsiae Spina water extract (GE). In this present study, the mechanism of inhibitory action on the proliferation of L l210 cells was examined. Methods : The cell proliferation was determined by MTT assay and DNA fragmentation was determined by a flow cytometry. Results : The administration of GE decreased proliferation of L1210 cells and enhanced DNA fragmentation in vivo system. DNA fragmentation of L1210 cells was enhanced by co-culture of peritoneal macrophages obtained from GE-administered mice in vitro and it was partly inhibited by L-NMMA, nitric oxide synthetase inhibitor. In addition, GE increased nitric oxide production from peritoneal macrophages of L1210-transplanted mice. Conclusions : These results suggest that the inhibitory action of GE on proliferation of transplanted-L1210 cells is partly caused by an induction of apoptosis via production of nitric oxide in macrophages.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제35권12호
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• pp.3623-3626
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• 2014

Nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) regulates the expression of over 200 genes of antioxidant and phase II drug-metabolizing enzymes, and is highly expressed in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Nine derivatives of 4-(2-cyclohexylethoxy)aniline were designed. Our previous study demonstrated that IM3829 increases radiosensitivity of several lung cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Here, biological effects of IM3829 derivatives (2a-2i) were evaluated. Compound 2g derivative effectively inhibits mRNA and protein expression of Nrf2 and HO-1. In addition, we observed over two fold enhancement in IR-induced cell death, from $2.90{\pm}0.22$ to $6.02{\pm}0.87$, in H1299 cancer cell-line. Among the nine derivatives, compound 2g derivative exhibited the highest enhancement of radiosensitizing effect via inhibition of Nrf2 activity.

• BMB Reports
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• 제54권11호
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• pp.545-550
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• 2021

Anisomycin is known to inhibit eukaryotic protein synthesis and has been established as an antibiotic and anticancer drug. However, the molecular targets of anisomycin and its mechanism of action have not been explained in macrophages. Here, we demonstrated the anti-inflammatory effects of anisomycin both in vivo and in vitro. We found that anisomycin decreased the mortality rate of macrophages in cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)- and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute sepsis. It also declined the gene expression of proinflammatory mediators such as inducible nitric oxide synthase, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-1β as well as the nitric oxide and proinflammatory cytokines production in macrophages subjected to LPS-induced acute sepsis. Furthermore, anisomycin attenuated nuclear factor (NF)-κB activation in LPS-induced macrophages, which correlated with the inhibition of phosphorylation of NF-κB-inducing kinase and IκB kinase, phosphorylation and IκBα proteolytic degradation, and NF-κB p65 subunit nuclear translocation. These results suggest that anisomycin prevented acute inflammation by inhibiting NF-κB-related inflammatory gene expression and could be a potential therapeutic candidate for sepsis.

• 한국수산과학회지
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• 제49권6호
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• pp.807-814
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• 2016

Fucoidan, one of the dominant sulfated polysaccharides extracted from brown seaweed, possesses a wide range of biological activities. Transforming growth $factor-{\beta}$ ($TGF-{\beta}$) plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis, by stimulating the synthesis of profibrotic factors. In this study, we investigated the in vitro effects of fucoidan on collagen synthesis, ${\alpha}-smooth$ muscle actin (${\alpha}-SMA$) expression, and interleukin (IL)-6 production in $TGF-{\beta}$-stimulated human pulmonary fibroblasts. The expression of type I collagen and ${\alpha}-SMA$ was detected by Western blot, and the production of IL-6 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. $TGF-{\beta}1$ treatment of pulmonary fibroblasts enhanced the expression of ${\alpha}-SMA$, type I collagen, and IL-6 whereas these effects were inhibited in cells pretreated with fucoidan. The activation of Smad2/3, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), and Akt was also inhibited in fucoidan-pretreated, $TGF-{\beta}1-stimulated$ human pulmonary fibroblasts. These data demonstrate the anti-fibrotic potential of fucoidan in $TGF-{\beta}-induced$ human pulmonary fibroblasts, via the inhibition of Smad2/3, p38 MAPKs, and Akt phosphorylation. Our results suggest the therapeutic potential of fucoidan in the prevention or treatment of pulmonary fibrosis.